BUYER’S GUIDE

Ferrari 365 GT4 Berlinetta Boxer review

Ferrari’s first mid-engined car is a glorious celebration of wedgey, 1970s excess and increasingly prized as the first of the flat-12s…

What Is It?

Trying to separate Ferrari myth from reality is all part of the fun, but the 365 GT4 Berlinetta Boxer definitively marks the moment Enzo’s resistance to ‘putting the cart before the horse’ was overcome and his name was attached to a mid-engined car — earlier flirtations having been branded as Dinos, of course.

With a flattened, 180-degree version of the Daytona’s 4.4-litre V12 carefully packaged into Pininfarina’s gorgeous wedge-shaped body, the 365 GT4 BB had the looks and the performance, even if it was styled a little conservatively against the Lamborghini Countach that arrived around the same time. That didn’t hold Ferrari’s flat-12 lineage back, though, the Berlinetta Boxer spawning the later 512 and then Testarossa.

Corrosive Areas

A-pillars and door mounts

Front and rear subframes

Sills and central structure

Checklist

365 GT4 Berlinetta Boxer first shown on the Pininfarina stand at the 1971 Turin Motor Show, though it took another two years to reach production
The iconic model name is famously a marketing misnomer for the fact the engine is effectively a flattened V12 and not a true horizontally opposed ‘boxer’ … but it sounds cool so who’s to argue
Original concept had quad lights and twin exhausts, the production version going to the triple light and exhaust clusters that set the 365 GT4 BB apart from the later 512
The looks were very modern while the construction beneath combined traditional tubular steel with a semi-monocoque steel cell, the front and rear clams aluminium with fibreglass used for the bumpers
As a result, if there is any corrosion it’s going to be less obvious, for the fact most of the exterior panels won’t rust in the conventional way — make sure you inspect beneath
Spiky handling means you’ll want to look out for signs of historic crash damage and bodged repairs from earlier in the car’s life — panel alignment will be your first check but make sure the tubular frame is as it should be as well
Engine is robust when looked after properly but highly-strung and demanding of exacting maintenance whether the car has been driven or not — demand evidence this has been done
Any major work is an engine out job and costs accordingly — belts need doing every three years irrespective of use, oil should be changed frequently and clutch and gearbox work is also expensive
This is just upkeep — if any sort of mechanical rebuild is required you’ll be staring at a very, very big bill
Given the rising values and investment potential Ferrari Classiche certification is desirable, though it will carry a premium and commitment to ongoing use of official parts
Heavy low-speed steering and clutch pedal all part of the deal, ditto reluctant first to second shifts until the gearbox warms through — once it has, shifting should be sweet and crunch free
At this level all cars should be presented in top condition and with documentation detailing any previous restoration work with respected marque specialists — make sure there are no gaps in the history

How does it drive?

Accepted wisdom has it Ferrari’s flat-12s are dynamically flawed for the fact the engine sits above the gearbox, the raised centre of gravity losing any benefits you’d otherwise associate with the engine layout. True enough, hard-charging ‘70s roadtesters commented on the wicked combination of light-nosed understeer and snap oversteer when pressing on, soft springing exacerbating unfavourable weight transfers for the heavy-footed.

But at the pace you’d likely drive one today the impressions are much more favourable, the fantastic visibility, compact dimensions and gorgeous sound of the flat-12 enough to drown any doubts. A heavy clutch pedal and low-speed steering make town driving a chore, but once the roads open up and you can make that engine sing through the gorgeous open-gated manual shift a deferentially driven BB is as glorious an experience as you could wish for.

What’s good?

The switch from front- to mid-engined formats for its V12s was a huge emotional moment for Ferrari, the fact the BB sold alongside the Daytona for a few months suggesting some hedge-betting on which would prevail. Both did, as it turns out. But if the 365 GT4 BB was a seemingly reluctant reaction to Lamborghini’s Miura and Countach it was, at least, done with conviction and a style and character of its own.

The lightest, revviest and arguably purest of all the flat-12s, the 365 GT4 BB is pure ‘70s supercar chic as well, the triple rear light clusters and matching exhausts beneath delicious garnishes on a shape that came to define Ferrari’s mid-engined cars for a generation.

What’s bad?

The days of under-appreciation for the early flat-12s has probably passed, and is only going one way, too. So, if you haven’t bought already the chances of getting one at a half reasonable price are probably long gone, likewise any opportunity for making a good return even if your money should at least be safe.

At a practical level, the mid-engined layout also makes working on that glorious engine a complicated and expensive process, and bills for servicing — let alone restorations or rebuilds — are not for the weak of wallet. The upkeep needs doing whether you’re driving it or not as well, meaning even a parked BB can cost you dear.

Which model to choose?

There’s only the one, so this isn’t too difficult a choice! While it’s a little harder to live with, those in the know rate the 365 GT4 BB over the later (and very similar looking 512) for its rarity, more aggressive engine and the purity of the looks.

Curiously, the seemingly unfashionable ‘70s paint colours command a premium over the red you might assume would be the most popular choice, the attractive two-tone Boxer option a signature of the model as much as the triple-exit exhausts and stubby, wedge-shaped lines. With just 387 built — little over a third of 512 production — a good 365 is also harder to find. But the thrill of the chase and exclusivity are all part of the attraction.

Specifications – Ferrari 365 GT4 Berlinetta Boxer

Engine

4.4-litre flat-12 petrol

Power

360PS (265kW) @ 7,500rpm

Torque

c.412Nm (303lb ft) @ 3,900rpm

Transmission

Five-speed manual, rear-wheel drive

Kerb weight

1,160kg (dry)

0-62mph

c. 5.6 seconds

Top speed

186mph

Production dates

1973-1976